What is the difference when we calculating expectation value for example in hydrogen atom in the ground state? The expectation value is 1.5*Bohr radius while the probability density has a max at Bohr radius. Does expectation value takes into account many measurements?
[Physics] Expectation value vs most probable value of radius in ground state of hydrogen
probabilityquantum mechanicsquantum-measurements
Best Answer
Suppose you measure something with outcome “1” four times, outcome “2” once, and outcome “3” once. The most probable outcome is “1” but the average is 9/6=1.16. The most probable outcome need not be the average, and indeed the average may not even be a possible outcome.